Firestarters

[Colorado Scott]

That Aurora looks nice! I have a few mag starters but not that nice. A couple of mine have wooden handles and are crudely made but they work great. I have used steel wool and a battery but never in the field, only practicing at home.

Overkill but I always carry three or more methods of starting a fire including one of my several Colibri windproof lighters and a fire piston. Fire is life, right?

I also keep an emergency fire starter kit (that I made) in every vehicle, hunting pack and bug out pack we own. The fire starter kit is made up of a mag starter, a few boxes of strike anywhere matches, strips of news paper, a mini fire starter log and a 35mm film case filled with cotton balls soaked in Vaseline. Everything is enclosed in a vacuum sealed food saver bag to keep moisture out; each method of starting fire is kitted in it's own seperate bag and everything together weighs a little over a pound.

Whatever method anybody chooses to carry and use they should be sure to practice at home and when sitting around in camp at your favorite campsite. If you can't start a fire at home there's no way you'll get one going under duress in an emergency situation.

[Irving]

Whatever method anybody chooses to carry and use they should be sure to practice at home and when sitting around in camp at your favorite campsite. If you can't start a fire at home there's no way you'll get one going under duress in an emergency situation.

I've mentioned it before, but I've had some road flares riding around in my trunk for over a year and have still never used one because I live in an apartment. I almost lit one Friday and just hung out on my porch with it, but I realize I don't know if the flares are water proof or not.

Anyone have any experience with a road flare? How can I put it out in a hurry if I need to? Cut it? Water? Mud? Dry leaves and a bird's nest?

[KevDen2005]

Don't know, every time I have used a flare I let it burn all the way out.

Something else I carry is a film canister of carbide. Carbide works great for those wet situations.

Someone already said it and it sounds like overkill but I also carry about 3-5 forms of fire building...

I like to carry:

1. Strike anywhere matches in waterproof container
2. Light My Fire fire starter
3. Lighter that is clear to see how much fuel is left
4. 9V battery and steel wool
5. Vaseline soaked cotton balls
6. Candles are good, you can buy a bag full of the small tub candles for pretty cheap


Just some things I like to carry that I can think of off the top of my head. I know there are other things that I have used and carry but can't think of them right now. I like to carry any combination of several things just to make sure...

[cowboykjohnson]

what are some good fire pistons out there? these things have always got me curious and seem like they work forever.

[Backinblackrifles]

I LOVE My fire piston go to wildersol.com they have a good selection and are great quality just pricey but how much are frost bitten fingers and toes worth?

[KevDen2005]

Just watched the video, that's pretty neat.

How pricey are we talking about?

[cowboykjohnson]

I LOVE My fire piston go to wildersol.com they have a good selection and are great quality just pricey but how much are frost bitten fingers and toes worth?

A lot more than one would think until it's about to happen. I'm pretty convinced that you get what you pay for. Thanks for the info.

[7.62x39(4)life]

a little science before you set your apartment on fire STUART! Road flares contain strontium Nitrate and oxidizer that supplies the oxygen needed for the fuel to burn... so you are not going to be able to put it out with dirt or water... to put out a flare you grind the burning surface against the pavement. In general water is a bad idea on a chemical fire.

[steveopia]

I've mentioned it before, but I've had some road flares riding around in my trunk for over a year and have still never used one because I live in an apartment. I almost lit one Friday and just hung out on my porch with it, but I realize I don't know if the flares are water proof or not.

Anyone have any experience with a road flare? How can I put it out in a hurry if I need to? Cut it? Water? Mud? Dry leaves and a bird's nest?

LOL. In a hurry like if you light it on the porch of your apartment? Sorry man. I don't know much about them. I'd say light it on your neighbor's porch. Test all the extinguishing methods you mentioned and tell us which one works the best.

I just picked up one of these Swedish fire starters. It works great on some toilet paper in the bathroom . . .

[Backinblackrifles]

I am in the process of moving and knew were My 0000 steel wool was and had a 9 volt in the dash I fluffed the 0000 touched the bat and blew on it I had a ball of white heat in My hand that was sustained for about 4 minutes very cool and easy. Great idea.